Many communication protocols employ encoding techniques that incorporate header bits before a payload in a digital word. Exemplary encoding schemes include Ethernet, Interlaken, and peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) gen3, each of which includes a two or three bit header with a payload. Typically, error detection/correction codes may be used to detect or correct payload errors and not the header bits that occur during data transmission. Error detection/correction codes include cyclic redundancy checks (CRC), along with error-correcting code (ECC), such as forward error correction (FEC). The error correction code can ensure that errors in consecutive bits of the payload, i.e., a burst error, will be detected or corrected.
Header bits are used to interpret the payload associated therewith. Accordingly, misinterpretation or corruption of the header bits can cause the associated payload to be interpreted incorrectly. In other words, corruption of the header bits can lead to misinterpretation of the payload bits even in presence of the error correction code. Therefore, if the integrity of the header associated with the payload is not maintained, there is no guarantee that the error detection code can detect or correct an error in the payload.